Safety match book



Sept. 29, 1942. J. H. BEHAN SAFETY MATCH BOOK Filed March 28. 1941 Inventor" J24 1%rvera Ze Attorney Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SAFETY MATCH BOOK John Howard Behan, Woodside, Long Island,

' Application March 28, 1941, Serial No. 385,768

1 Claim.

This invention relates to what are generally referred to in the art as safety match books, and an object of the invention is to provide a book of this character which will minimize to a material extent the possibility of the matches being accidentally ignited, and which often results in injury to the holder or user of the book.

Further in accordance with th'e present invention, a match book is provided whereby the tendency of the user, after withdrawing a match therefrom, will be to substantially automatically close the book with the result that the objectionable and dangerous probability above referred to is almost entirely eliminated.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a match book embodying the features of the present invention, and with the closure fiap thereof in completely closed position. V

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but With the closure flap in an open position.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the match book, closed, and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the match book but viewing the same from the side opposite to that shown in Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it will be seen that in accordance with the present in- Vention the match book, therein indicated generally by the reference numeral 5, is constructed with a departure from the conventional by having the usual cover fiap portion 6 thereof, at its free end, secured between the match-holding block 1 and the front body flap 8 through the medium of the staple, or other usual fastening element 9 generally employed for securing the block 1 and the body flap 8. Thus in this way the fiap 6 is secured from being opened by the user.

The body flap 8 on the exposed surface thereof is provided, as is somewhat conventional, with the pyrotechnic or match-scratching and ignition surface I 0.

Further in accordance with the present invention the body or back section II of the book is characterized by a transverse slit l2 paralleling the top fold l 3 of the book and extending inwardly from one edge of the body or back section II to terminate slightly inwardly from the opposite longitudinal edge of said back or body section I I; and a longitudinal slit I4 that extends for a material portion of the length of the book and at one end merges with the inner end of the slit l2 as shown in Figure 1. Thus through the medium of the slits I2 and hi there is provided at the rear side of the book a closure flap l5 that is integral with the back or body section II and is bendable outwardly with respect to the book, as suggested in Figure 2, to permit access to be had to the matches [6, whereby a match may be readily withdrawn from the book.

It will also be apparent from the foregoing that when a match I6 is selected and withdrawn from the book 5, the book is then reversed in order the present the surface III for use. The grasping and reversing of the book will almost automatically result in the user closing the flap l5 with the result that the book is in an entirely closed condition during the match scratching operation. Thus the safety advantages of a book embodying the features of the present invention are readily apparent.

While I have herein illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

As a new article of manufacture, a match book constructed with a departure from the conventional by having the front cover flap thereof permanently secured in closed position and the rear body section slit adjacent the upper end of the book on a line paralleling the upper and lower edges of the book, and also slit inwardly from one longitudinal edge th'ereof on a line continuing from the inner end of the first slit and terminating short of the bottom edge of the book, and with the first slit line continuing through the longitudinal edge of the book opposite to the second-named slit whereby to provide within the confines of said slits and the second-named longitudinal edge of the book a bendable flap bendable out of the plane of the book along an imaginary crease line paralleling the first slit and extending from the lower end of the second slit to the longitudinal edge of the book farthest remote from the second slit.

JOHN HOWARD BEHAN. 

